Warner Music Group Corp. today announced its second-quarter financial results for the period ended March 31, 2024.
“This quarter we saw a healthy, dynamic mix of hits across a range of genres, geographies, and generations,” said Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group. “With our commitment to artist and songwriter development as our guiding principle, we continue to discover great talent, build sustainable careers, champion the value of music, and grow the catalog of tomorrow. We are positioning WMG for long term growth and look forward to delivering successful music in the second half of 2024 and beyond.”
“Our performance in the quarter was driven by an acceleration in Recorded Music subscription streaming growth and continued momentum in Music Publishing,” said Bryan Castellani, CFO, Warner Music Group. “Encouraged by the continued growth in engagement and value of music, we remain focused on delivering on our strategy and driving long-term shareholder value.”
Revenue was up 6.8% (or 6.9% in constant currency). Consistent with the prior quarter, Recorded Music digital revenue growth was unfavorably impacted by the termination of the distribution agreement with BMG (the “BMG Termination”), which resulted in $22 million less revenue compared to the prior-year quarter, and a $4 million unfavorable impact within Recorded Music streaming revenue due to a renewal with one of the Company’s digital partners (the “Digital License Renewal”), which resulted in upfront revenue recognition in the prior quarter. Excluding the BMG Termination and the Digital License Renewal, total revenue was up 8.8% (or 9.0% in constant currency).
Digital revenue increased 9.9% (or 10.2% in constant currency) and streaming revenue increased 10.7% (or 11.1% in constant currency). Recorded Music streaming revenue increased 7.1% (or 7.7% in constant currency); however, adjusted for the impact of the BMG Termination and the Digital License Renewal, Recorded Music streaming revenue was up 10.5% (or 11.1% in constant currency). Music Publishing streaming revenue increased 30.3% (or 29.4% in constant currency). Revenue increases in the quarter were also driven by growth in Recorded Music licensing revenue and Music Publishing performance and synchronization revenue, partially offset by lower Recorded Music physical and artist services and expanded-rights revenue.
Operating income decreased 4.0% (or 3.3% in constant currency) from $124 million to $119 million primarily due to the factors affecting Adjusted OIBDA discussed below, as well as $95 million of restructuring and non-cash impairment charges, which includes severance costs of $46 million and an impairment loss of $50 million due to the exit of certain non-core owned and operated media properties pursuant to the Company’s restructuring plan announced in February 2024 (the “Strategic Restructuring Plan”), compared to $41 million of restructuring charges in the prior-year quarter, and $5 million of incremental expenses related to transformation initiatives and other related costs. The decrease in operating income was partially offset by lower non-cash stock-based compensation of $11 million, lower amortization expenses due to certain intangible assets becoming fully amortized of $4 million, and a $14 million net gain on a divestiture of certain music publishing rights in the quarter.
Adjusted OIBDA increased 9.1% from $286 million to $312 million (the same in constant currency) and Adjusted OIBDA margin increased 0.5 percentage points to 20.9% from 20.4% in the prior-year quarter (or increased 0.4 percentage points to 20.9% from 20.5% in constant currency). Adjusted OIBDA growth was primarily due to strong operating performance and $12 million of savings from the March 2023 restructuring plan (the “2023 Restructuring Plan”), partially offset by the reinvestment of these savings in the Company’s business including $6 million of incremental investment in technology in the quarter.
Net income was $96 million compared to $37 million in the prior-year quarter. The increase in net income was primarily due to the factors described above, and the impact of exchange rates on the Company’s Euro-denominated debt resulting in a gain of $21 million in the quarter compared to a loss of $20 million in the prior-year quarter, partially offset by an increase in interest expense, net, primarily due to increased costs on the Company’s variable rate debt.
Basic and Diluted earnings per share were $0.18 for both the Class A and Class B shareholders due to the net income attributable to the Company in the quarter of $96 million.
As of March 31, 2024, the Company reported a cash balance of $587 million, total debt of $3.984 billion and net debt (defined as total debt, net of deferred financing costs, premiums and discounts, minus cash and equivalents) of $3.397 billion.
Cash used in operating activities increased to $31 million in the quarter compared to $6 million in the prior-year quarter. The increase was largely due to increased artist and repertoire investment and the timing of working capital, partially offset by strong operating performance. Capital expenditures decreased 26% to $26 million from $35 million in the prior-year quarter, driven by the timing of investment in technology. Free Cash Flow, as defined below, decreased to a use of $57 million from a use of $41 million in the prior-year quarter.
Recorded Music revenue was up 4.0% (or 4.3% in constant currency) driven by growth in digital and licensing revenue, partially offset by lower physical and artist services and expanded-rights revenue. Excluding the impact from the BMG Termination and the Digital License Renewal, Recorded Music revenue increased 6.4% (or 6.7% in constant currency). Digital revenue was up 6.5% (or 7.1% in constant currency) and streaming revenue was up 7.1% (or 7.7% in constant currency). Adjusted for the impact of the BMG Termination of $20 million and the Digital License Renewal of $4 million, Recorded Music streaming revenue was up 10.5% (or 11.1% in constant currency). Streaming revenue reflects growth in subscription revenue of 8.3% (or 8.8% in constant currency) and growth in ad-supported revenue of 3.9% (or 4.4% in constant currency). Adjusted for the BMG Termination and the Digital License Renewal, subscription revenue increased 12.8% (or 13.5% in constant currency). Licensing revenue increased 6.1% (or 5.1% in constant currency), driven by an increase in copyright infringement settlements. Physical revenue decreased 5.9% (or 6.7% in constant currency), primarily driven by the timing of new releases. Artist services and expanded-rights revenue decreased 3.8% (or 3.1% in constant currency) primarily due to lower merchandising revenue, partially offset by higher concert promotion revenue in France and Japan. Major sellers included Zach Bryan, Ed Sheeran, Jack Harlow and Green Day.
Recorded Music operating income was $134 million, a decrease from $151 million in the prior-year quarter, and operating margin was down 1.9 percentage points to 11.3% versus 13.2% in the prior-year quarter. The decrease in operating income was primarily driven by severance costs of $42 million and $47 million of impairment losses on unamortized intangibles primarily due to the exit of certain non-core owned and operated media properties in connection with the Strategic Restructuring Plan announced in February 2024, compared to $41 million of restructuring charges in the prior-year quarter, partially offset by lower amortization expenses of $7 million due to certain intangible assets becoming fully amortized.
Music Publishing revenue increased 19.1% (or 18.6% in constant currency). The increase was driven by growth in digital, performance and synchronization revenue. Digital revenue increased 28.1% (or 27.2% in constant currency) and streaming revenue increased 30.3% (or 29.4% in constant currency), reflecting the continued growth in streaming, the impact of digital deal renewals and continued investment in the Company’s publishing catalog. Performance revenue increased 15.6% (or 18.2% in constant currency) due to strong artist touring activity in Europe. Mechanical revenue decreased $1 million or 6% (the same in constant currency), primarily driven by lower physical sales. Synchronization revenue grew 4.3% (or 2.1% in constant currency), driven by the timing of copyright infringement settlements.
Music Publishing operating income increased to $69 million compared to $52 million in the prior-year quarter and operating margin increased 2.3 percentage points to 22.5%. The increase in operating income was primarily driven by the same factors affecting Adjusted OIBDA discussed below, as well as a $14 million net gain on a divestiture of certain music publishing rights in the quarter.
